Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

Vancouver Island is a premier destination for conscientious traveling, and this group aims at uncovering its extraordinary, and eco-friendly, secrets.

We invite all members to suggest events, contribute photos, share their experiences and connect as a community.

Join us as we find out all about sustainable and responsible tourism in Vancouver Island!

Shawna Quinn - Shawna Quinn is an avid adventurer with a professional background in Eco-tourism. After living abroad for several years in places such as Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and the Galapagos Islands, she has returned to her “heartland” to focus on sharing her passion for travel, local food, sustainability and Canada’s great outdoors through her writing.

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Tourism is nothing new, but it is becoming more and more important for travelers today to be conscientious about the impact their explorations have on the places they visit. Tourists are now looking for ways to experience places responsibly, whether it be choosing accommodations that use green products and practices, or eating fresh foods sourced locally that support the community and the environment.

Vancouver Island is a premier destination for conscientious traveling, and this group aims at uncovering its extraordinary, and eco-friendly, secrets. Travel, after all, should be about authentic, meaningful experiences that support and sustain local economies and ecologies.

About your Group Leader

Meet Shawna, TripTide's resident sustainable and Eco-Tourism contributor. Shawna is an adventurous fan of the outdoors and keen to share her local knowledge and interests with members of the TripTide community. With a professional background in Eco-Tourism, Shawna is happy and willing to offer advice on tips regarding sustainable tourism in the Vancouver Island area. Join Shawna's group to be a part of the Eco-Tourism movement and engage in positive forward thinking discussions!

Shawna

I live in….. Peachland, B.C.

My favourite Canadian city is….Tofino, B.C.

Because…..There is an indescribable magic that permeates the air. It’s in the misty fogs that roll in from the ocean, in the promise of breathtaking wildlife encounters, and on the faces of friendly locals that casually invite you to enjoy their hometown.

The place I would like to visit in Canada next is….. Quebec City

Because….. It is rich with cultural heritage and architecture, and its character is unique from the rest of Canada.

My favourite Saturday would be spent in….The Okanagan Valley

Doing…..Picking fruit with my husband and daughter, swimming in or sailing on the lake, and enjoying an afternoon picnic in the sun with wine from a local vineyard.

Right now I would like to be….. On a beach in Ucluelet watching the eagles soar, and maybe spotting a breaching whale

I get my favourite meal from……The Blue Fox Café in Victoria. I’m a BIG fan of breakfast, and their ‘Oranges del Sol’ French toast is a glutinous indulgence worth the line up at the door.

Best local cuisine is…..Little Qualicum Cheeseworks has delicious dairy delicacies (who doesn’t love cheese?), but the star of Vancouver Island’s culinary scene has to be the seafood. Dungeness Crab boiled right on the boat with a little melted butter…sigh

If you’re in my region for one day I suggest you see…. The lake. Get in it, on it, or over it to Rattlesnake Island (where Ogopogo lives!) And, of course, the wineries. Peachland is home to Hainle Vineyards Estates – the first producer of ice wine in North America!

Don’t bother seeing the….Hardy Falls.

Because……It’s a lovely little walk for locals, and a charming little waterfall, but unless it’s salmon spawning season the forest walk isn’t as breathtaking as, say, a ride down the ZipZone Adventure Park zip line.

A hidden gem of the area is…. Meadow Vista Honey Wines, a 5 acre artisan farm and winery located in East Kelowna, tucked amongst rolling hills of orchards and vineyards. You can sample their line-up of unique, surprising, delicious honey wines, and take a bottle out into the field to enjoy a picnic of locally sourced foods in the sunshine. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Best time of year to be here…. Mid-summer, late spring, early fall, or right after Christmas.

For…. Mid-summer for the peaches. Early fall for the wine. Late spring to beat the crowds. Winter for the snowboarding, without the crowds.

Some local terminology to help you get by would be…“Sunshine tax” – the high cost of living attributed to the desirable weather all summer long.

You probably didn’t know this about Peachland but……The first established estate winery in the Okanagan Valley was in Peachland and the first nine-member baseball team consisting of all brothers (and one of the only ones) was from Peachland. The baseball park in town is called "Cousins Park", named after the Cousins family.